Free Columbian Exchange Word Search (Printable PDF + Answer Key)

After Columbus crossed the Atlantic in 1492, plants, animals, people and germs began moving between the Americas and the rest of the world. Historians call this TRANSATLANTIC swap the Columbian Exchange. From AMERICA came CORN (also called MAIZE), the POTATO, TOBACCO and CACAO, the bean behind chocolate. From EUROPE, Africa and Asia came WHEAT, SUGARCANE, CATTLE and HORSES, which changed how people farmed, ate and traveled on both sides of the ocean.

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15hidden words

9+suggested age

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About the Columbian Exchange word search

Not every part of the exchange was welcome. DISEASE such as smallpox devastated Native American communities, and the TRADE in sugar fueled forced MIGRATION through the Atlantic slave trade. The word list runs easy-to-medium, best for students from about 9 up, and the answer key is on page two of the PDF. Next, try the age of exploration word search, the Native American word search or the 13 Colonies word search; for the food side, the vegetables word search and farm word search work well, and there are plenty more American history word searches.